


Hot Damn

by alecmagnuslwb



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Human, First Meetings, Fluff, M/M, Meet-Cute, just another holiday meet cute :)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-10
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-09-15 21:41:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16941252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alecmagnuslwb/pseuds/alecmagnuslwb
Summary: While Maia spots a gorgeous redhead across the room at their holiday office party, Alec's eye's find the most beautiful man he's ever seen.





	Hot Damn

“Hot damn,” Maia whistles out eyes glued across the room far beyond the desserts table where she and Alec have made camp for the past hour or so.  

Alec looks up from where he’d been decidedly doing nothing on his phone, making it look like he was busy so people that weren’t Maia wouldn’t try to talk to him, and hot damn is an understatement. Standing across the room next to a short red head that Alec barely pays a glance to is the most beautiful man Alec’s ever seen.

He’s tall; at best a couple inches shorter than Alec, Asian with a shock of styled dark hair on his head and a jawline Alec would very much like to lick.

 _Stop it,_ Alec chastises himself internally, _this is a family friendly office holiday party pull it together._

Except he can’t pull it together, because as he trails his eyes down from the perfect eyeliner he takes in the outfit the striking man is wearing and damn he really does keep getting better. A deep blue paisley jacket fits across his broad shoulders perfectly; hugging his sculpted arms with such perfection that Alec assumes the jacket was sewed onto him before he went out. His long legs are covered in a tight fitting pair of black pants with a matching blue tassel dangling from his belt at his side. Alec is right back to thinking office party inappropriate thoughts of what he could accomplish by pulling the man close by that tassel. He also suddenly wishes he wasn’t just wearing black jeans and a somewhat embarrassing holiday themed button up that Maia had talked him into.

Not that he has a chance with this guy, this man doesn’t just exist in another league from Alec he’s playing a different sport.

“Hot damn is right,” Alec finally says in response to Maia. He’d be a little embarrassed that he said that out loud, but he’d just spent way too long checking out the man there’s no way Maia didn’t notice. Plus it’s Maia; she’s been his best friend since college she’s witnessed nearly every moment of his gay disaster behavior.

Maia chuckles in response bringing her glass of wine to her lips, “I get the sense that unless you’ve suddenly become less gay we’re talking about different people.”

Alec finally turns from his not so subtle staring to look at Maia, “The red head?” He’s not judging, just because he finds women about as sexy as auditing a strangers taxes doesn’t mean Maia hasn’t always had excellent taste in both women and men. That being said he personally can’t see how she’d be able to focus on anyone that wasn’t the shining man across the room.

Who, Alec spots as he turns his attention back to the man, is now smiling and damn is that a gorgeous smile.

“Yup,” Maia says with a pop. “Don’t get me wrong Mr. tall, well-dressed and handsome is pretty too but he’s definitely more your type. She looks like she’s an artist or a musician or something, very my type.”

“I don’t have a type,” Alec says turning back to her with a scowl, which immediately fades when he hears a laugh come from the direction of the man. And it’s deeply unfair that on top of everything he’s got going for him appearance wise this man also has a beautiful laugh. 

“Pretty sure you do now,” she laughs delightedly as Alec’s head whips back in the direction of the laughter sounding once again. “I’ve never seen either of them, do they even work here?”

“Does who even work here?” Bat asks suddenly popping up between them a headless Santa shaped cookie in one hand, startling Alec from his staring contest with Mr. Gorgeous’ hands that are holding onto a glass of wine effortlessly.  Maia gestures forward to the pair that’s caught their attention as she gulps the last of her wine and places the glass on the table next to her.

It’s a good question; one Alec had been too distracted to think about the past few minutes. There’s no way this man works at the magazine, if he did Alec would have noticed him a long time ago and then been promptly fired for never getting any work done because he was too busy planning his wedding to a man with cheekbones that look like they were crafted from marble.

Bat scrutinizes the duo for a moment then a lightbulb goes off, “Oh that’s Clary! She’s new; Ollie just hired her as her assistant yesterday. I don’t know the guy though; he’s definitely someone that doesn’t go unnoticed so I’m sure I’d remember.”

Alec raises an eyebrow, Ollie is one of their co-editors along with her wife and last he checked she wasn’t in need of an assistant, “Aren’t you her assistant?”

Bat shrugs a little sheepishly, “There’s a chance I was getting on her nerves and she handed me over to Sam instead.”

Alec laughs at that. Bat is a lot of things, but the best way to describe him is an acquired taste. He’s been the assistant to five people since he started working at the LGBT+ magazine they all call home and each of them have traded him off after less than three months.

“We’re introducing ourselves,” Maia says swiping Alec’s drink from his hand and gripping his forearm to pull him towards the pair leaving Bat behind with his handful of cookies.

“No we’re not,” Alec scrambles trying to pull his arm from her grip but she refuses to relent.

“Yes,” she says stopping briefly to pointedly look back at Alec. “Yes we are.”

“We don’t even know them,” Alec weakly protests as she starts walking again. He’s not sure if he’s fighting her because he’s scared of a rejection or because he’s scared of the man actually returning interest.

Maia just rolls her eyes, “That’s why we’re introducing ourselves, so we do know them. They’re pretty and we’re pretty which is a nice start, but let’s try and find some more ground to work with.”

He opens his mouth ready to make some sort of additional weak excuse or at least mess with her for calling him pretty but all words fly out the window when they reach the pair, Maia immediately jumping right in as they spot them.

“Hi,” she says pulling out the widest most charming smile Alec’s ever seen her wear. “I’m Maia and this is Alec we’re both writers here, our friend Bat told us you were new to the office and we thought we’d introduce ourselves.”

Clary smiles a little shyly in response but reaches out a hand, “That’s so sweet, I’m Clary and this,” she says gesturing with the hand not shaking Maia’s to the beautiful man, “Is Magnus.”

Magnus. Well the hits keep coming because of course he has a memorable, unique name to go with everything else.

“Magnus Bane,” the man says extending a quick smile to Maia but his hand towards Alec as their eyes meet for the first time. “I don’t actually work here, just a party crasher keeping biscuit here company until she made some new friends.”

Magnus holds onto Alec’s hand a little longer than socially acceptable for a normal introductory handshake. Magnus’ hand is soft and warm with the sharp cool bite of his many rings sending shivers down Alec’s spine.

“Well,” Maia says putting on her best flirtatious smile in Clary’s direction, a smile Clary immediately returns. Alec knows exactly where this is headed, he’s about to be ditched by his best friend with this beautiful man who he’s fairly certain he’ll find a way to make a fool of himself in front of. “She’s definitely made some now. You look like you could use a new drink, come on.” She continues gesturing to Clary’s drink and offering her arm.

Clary smiles again looping her arm into Maia’s as the two walk off towards the makeshift bar on the other side of the room. Maia turns back briefly winking at Alec who replies with a desperate ‘don’t leave me alone on this’ face. A face Maia just giggles at turning her attention back to Clary entirely.

“Well, that wasn’t subtle at all,” Magnus says from behind him.

Alec chuckles taking a deep calming breath before turning back to look at the blinding beauty of the man, “Yeah, Maia’s never been one to hint at what she wants. She’s very confident to say the least.”

Magnus hums in response, his eyes trailing up and down Alec’s form with obvious interest, “Well I guess Maia and I have that in common.”

Alec feels the light blush on his cheeks and attempts to tamp it down as he lifts his hand to the back of his neck in a nervous gesture he’s always relied on. The movement however only draws Magnus’ attention to his arm, which he seems very interested in, causing Alec’s blush to grow a little stronger.

Alec doesn’t know what to say, wishes he could come back with something equally as confident and flirty. Magnus doesn’t seem to mind Alec’s silence though a soft smile gracing his lips as he reaches out not really touching, but brushing lightly over the air in front of the buttons on Alec’s shirt.

“Cute shirt,” he says.

Alec looks down as if he’s forgotten what he’s wearing. But sadly he hasn’t, he knows good and well he’s wearing the black holiday button up Maia had bought him last Christmas and bemoaned that he never even tried it on. She’d essentially shamed him into wearing tonight. Despite it sticking with his dark color preferences, it’s still slightly embarrassing with its small red Yorkie dogs in green striped scarves scattered all over it.

“Yeah Maia got it for me and was mad I never wear it, it’s not my best look,” Alec shrugs.

“I’d disagree,” Magnus says with a genuine smile, Alec’s pretty sure he actually really likes the shirt no teasing to be found. “Admittedly this is the only look I’ve seen you in, but it’s a good one. Festive, but subtle and very well fitting.”

He gives Alec another once over as he says it making Alec smile.

“Well if someone who dresses as gorgeous as you says it, I guess I’ll have to believe it’s true,” Alec says giving Magnus a once over in return confidence building more and more as the moments pass. A few minutes ago Alec didn’t believe he stood a chance with this man, but now Magnus is making his interest clear which gives Alec the boost he needs. He doesn’t know what higher power or holiday spirit is making this happen but he’s not about to squander it by being awkward. 

Magnus smirks waiting until Alec’s eyes trail back up to his, “It takes gorgeous to know gorgeous.”

“I guess it does,” Alec smiles back the idea of him being equally as gorgeous as Magnus seems insane, but if Magnus thinks it Alec isn’t going to argue. “Buy you a drink?” Alec gestures to the bar where Maia and Clary no longer stand. Considering the way the two were looking at each other Alec’s fairly certain Maia’s already found some mistletoe to take full advantage of.

“Can you really buy me a drink if it’s an open bar,” Magnus laughs but starts walking towards the bar with Alec nonetheless.

Alec smiles at Magnus as they reach the bar, leaning on the edge to face one another just close enough that Alec can feel the warmth coming off of Magnus’ body.

“I’ll leave a good tip,” he says gesturing for Magnus to order his drink first.

Eventually they migrate from the bar to a window cove in the breakroom, away from the hustle and bustle of the party on the open newsroom floor, that Alec loves to hide away in on days that the stress of deadlines start to take their toll. They talk about everything from holiday plans to favorite drinks. Alec finds himself talking more than he ever really does, particularly when Magnus asks about working for an LGBT+ publication. He talks about coming out, about the responses both positive and negative he received from his family and why it felt so important to him to put his passion for writing into a community that he’d always feared he’d never be brave enough to be a part of. He asks Magnus about his work and discovers he’s a small business owner, barely 30 and already owns a bookstore, a bar and a club. He talks about each one like a child he holds immense pride for, lamenting that the club may have been his first venture but the older he gets the more he wants to settle into the comfort of the bookstore instead.

They only part for a moment when Magnus runs to grab them a comically large stack of gingerbread cookies that they delight in breaking the heads off of as their conversation delves into tales of cooking disasters and favorite sweets.

On the exterior from far across the room Magnus had seemed impossible to reach, but close up with knees brushing and the words flowing Alec sees he’s just another person. An extraordinary, beautiful person, but a person that Alec can reach just as much as any other. He’s funny, but clearly uses the humor to deflect from some things, he tells stories in a manner that leaves Alec believing some of it has to be embellished, but Alec hangs on to every shiny word true or not. He hopes that after tonight he’ll be given the opportunity to know the things that aren’t so shiny as well, the things that Magnus brushes over a little quieter.

They talk until the sun sets low outside the windows and the only light in the room comes from the varying strings of holiday lights all across the room. The little fractals of colorful light bounce inside of Magnus’ deep brown eyes and Alec’s certain he’s never felt so much, so fast for anyone in his entire life.

It’s quiet in their little corner of the office, the noise from the main party even dying down as the hours tick on, the members of their team with families all gone before the liquor started flowing too hard. Alec’s not even sure if Maia’s still there, receiving a text from her hours before that simply said ‘I owe whoever’s in charge of new hires a damn cake!’. Though the corresponding text Magnus received from Clary not but 30 minutes later saying she was heading out for the night makes Alec feel fairly confident Maia’s long gone as well.

“I should probably get going,” Magnus sighs glancing at his phone. Alec looks up at the clock across the room even though it’s a struggle to tear his eyes from Magnus. It’s nearly midnight; he doesn’t know where the time went, Alec looks back at Magnus disappointment clearly written on his face.

“I have to open the bookstore early tomorrow,” Magnus says making sure it’s clear to Alec that he’s not just trying to get out of here that he’d stay if he could. “Influx of holiday shoppers and all that.”

“I understand,” Alec says quietly because he does he really does. He has no doubt Magnus isn’t ditching him; he’s already got Magnus’ number in his phone and a night of conversation he won’t ever forget.

Magnus smiles reaching out to brush his fingers down Alec’s cheek in a gentle touch. And if they kiss right there in the windows cove, warm lips sliding together like two pieces of a puzzle long separated with the taste of mint and hot cocoa on their tongues and if they walk out into the cold hand in hand parting with the promise of a real dinner date the next night well no one has to know but them and maybe Maia and Clary who will no doubt hound them both for details.

Alec can’t stop smiling to himself the whole walk to the subway and the ride home after seeing Magnus safely off in a cab. He’s alone but he feels warmer than he’s felt in years, the touch of Magnus lips still warm against his, the heat of his palm connected to his still lingering. He’s already daydreaming about the next kiss, the next touch, hell he’s even thinking about a future with Magnus; a future of double dates and hot cocoa that he can see all too clearly.

When he finally drops off into bed later the smile still sits on his face unable to shake away. He’s just on the cusp of sleep fully prepared to drift off into a dream about a certain man when his phone chimes from the nightstand.

 _[12:45 am -- from:  Magnus Bane_ ]

_While I’m very excited to see you again tomorrow in a look no doubt as breathtaking as the one you had on this evening, I will say it’s a bit of shame that I won’t get to see what you look like out of that cute dog shirt tonight ;)_

Alec laughs a little as his brain slightly short circuits at the idea of Magnus seeing him shirtless and even more so at the idea of seeing a shirtless Magnus.  He’s not a greater texter, and he’s never this blatantly flirtatious with someone, but it’s late and Magnus clearly is as into him as he is into Magnus so he hopes the one word response conveys everything flirtatious and deep that he wants it too.

_[12:47 am -- to: Magnus Bane]_

_Soon : )_

The heartfelt ‘Goodnight, Alexander’ he receives in return tells him it worked. And he knows as he drifts back off close to sleep that in the future one day he won’t believe that a holiday party and a hot damn started this whole beautiful thing.

**Author's Note:**

> Another holiday meet-cute for everybody! I tried to come up with a more holiday style title, but Hot Damn just felt right.


End file.
